Past Lives
by The Quirks of Wishful Thinking
Summary: Professor Binns, the ghost teacher that is so distant. This is the story that tells you how Binns became so distant.


**Past Lives**

The droning voice of Professor Cuthbert Binns echoed across the classroom. He was still allowed to teach even with his disposition; that of being dead and a ghost. Laws justified him to teach, the Ministry having recently changed views about "lesser" magical beings, stated that all magical creatures could teach if they were partly human.

Binns was happy to teach for eternity. He keep his old quarters however found it difficult to grade assignments (as he was unable to hold objects). He had gotten his assistant to help him with that. He decided that after going through so many young historians as his assistant he should get a magical creature. They lived for longer and would be more respectful to him. He had his assistant Pippy, a house-elf, to help him with grading papers.

She was a free elf, one among many, who Dobby inspired. She wore wizard robes shrunk to her size. She did not posses a cape as she deemed it too excessive. She was only an assistant not a full member of staff.

Professor Binns knew too well that they would replace him soon. It was unfair on the living souls who wished to teach History of Magic. He would miss teaching and most of all the feeling of being needed at Hogwarts.

He was forever to be a ghost. His own fault entirely. He wasn't brave enough to face death, as he was a coward. He was incomplete. He had never risked much in his life. He had his stories; the history of great witches and wizards who he imagined himself being. He was never an adventurous young boy like most. He was content to listen to stories and to learn then to experience new things. He was secretly ashamed of himself; he was a weak man.

No one however had wanted the occupation of being History of Magic professor. Luckily, he still had his position but he knew that one day another would take it.

He missed his era. The world was a much different place then it used to be. These Muggles had weird inventions that they used and the Ministry was intrigued by them! It was ridiculous how they wanted to use Muggle technology! They had powerful magic in there blood yet they allowed Muggles to rule over them! He didn't mind Muggles he just hated how they had to not be themselves around them act less. They couldn't use magic. They couldn't talk about magic. The basically couldn't tell them anything. He was unashamedly jealous of the simplicity of Muggle lives; they just knew about themselves. They didn't know about the Dark Arts and dangerous creatures that lurked in the Forbidden Forest and how a simple flick of the wrist could kill some one.

_What would life be like to be a Muggle?_ Muggle society was a place he would never fit in. A ghost who knew too much and couldn't leave a castle! He was eternally attached to Hogwarts. What an addictive place it is.

So addictive that he gave up her. He gave up the only women her ever loved for a position. This position, the one that he was now eternally tied to, History of Magic professor. An unexciting subject it was often referred to but to him a dream job.

It was back when Hogwarts was a younger school. It was still surrounded by mystery and secrecy however it was only a few centuries old. He remembered opening his Hogwarts acceptance letter at eleven. He felt mixed emotions of being overjoyed and anxious. He remembered how his Ravenclaw parents smugly smiling down at him their only child. Knowing that he was just like them, overly studious. They knew that he would become a Ravenclaw they didn't need to here it from the Sorting Hat.

It was at Hogwarts he met her. She was smart, very smart and cunning. Her voice excluded confidence when she answered a question not even fearing Professor Black. He was a scary Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that had a wicked glint to his eyes and was very hard to please.

She had long golden hair that was pinned back from her face in a bun. Her stormy grey eyes pierced his as they bore into them. She was pretty although not overly beautiful like some girls in his classes however he was attracted to her all the same. He saw how her cool demeanor would break when she got the question posed right for a split second her face would light up in happiness before she regained composure.

She was a Slytherin and he a Ravenclaw. Unlike Grffindor, Ravenclaws and Slytherins were on speaking terms. Ravenclaws were smart and Slytherins were power hungry. They were a perfect match. He gained the courage in fifth year to ask her if he could court her. She was surprised by his sudden affection but as his family bloodline was pure as her own she allowed the match.

They were a charming insignificant couple. People knew they were together however they were not that interested in them to engrossed with others. They however took the match seriously. Meeting up in the library studying side-by-side telling each other their dreams. Sweetly kissing her cheek every night and morning. They were in love.

Years after schooling he was a historian and she had a job at the Ministry in the Department of Secrets. They were married. Miss Alethea Greengrass and himself. It was bliss. They were perfect for each other; Mrs Alethea Binns and Mr Cuthbert Binns. They both were smart and she was cunning and he was curiosity driven. Together they could have founded nations.

That was before the offer, which caused all the pain. He was offered the position of Professor of History of Magic. He being a historian he was greatly pleased with the post. He told his wife who sadly smiled and told him that he would always be at work that he would never come home. He laughed and said that she could join him they could live in the castle together or his could floo home every night. She was pregnant with their child at the time. He was oblivious and unaware to that fact. She let him go to become a teacher he always dreamed to be.

He was called a great educator. Students were eager for his class to begin as he told tales of the past. That was before his wife death when he could smile and share fictional tales that had no evidence to prove them correct but the rumours. His students even pegged him as their "favourite professor".

One day he came home from teaching a little later then usual. He had to stay to watch over a student who had gotten detention.

He saw her lifeless body in an unnatural position on the floor. Her eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling. Blood everywhere. A small wail erupted from beside her. There lay a small body eyes like storm clouds gazing up at him. The infant cried his tiny eyes redden. His brown hair slicked back in blood. The child clung to his dead mother.

That's when he found out that it was the baby that had killed his wife. He knew she was pregnant. She had revealed to him the Christmas that had just passed. She had waited to tell him as a surprise. She was so happy about having a child. She wanted one so badly. She had given up her job for having their child. She had given up every thing for their child.

Cuthbert loved her more then life itself. She was untouchable; no foul words could taint her and yet an innocent child caused her death. He saw the note perched at the table. It read:

_Dearest Cuthbert,_

_Hurry!_

_It's coming! Our precious child!_

_The Healers have been notified!_

_My undying love,_

_Alethea_

He looked at the unsent letter in sadness. He hadn't arrived fast enough to save her. He wasn't worthy of her undying love.

He scanned around the room looking for any signs of the Healers having been there. He saw none.

A flash appeared from the fireplace. A man of thirty years ran in with equipment following him in tow. He stopped when he saw Binns motionless expression and saw the body of his patient.

"I am deeply sorry," the Healer said after inspecting Mrs Binns. He looked down to the sadden baby and checked him once over. Taking off the unbelical cord that still attached him to his mother. "Your child is fine. He is perfectly healthy. She must have died during childbirth. She called me too late. She said she was waiting for her husband to come home. I'm sorry."

The guilt that washed over Binns was consuming. He was scarred. His wife had waited for him. She knew that he was supposed to be home two hours ago. He just was addicted to his teaching responsibilities. It gave him so much joy. She was dead because he was too busy at work. Too busy for her.

He looked down to his child. He couldn't meet those grey eyes that were a mirror image of his mother's. He knew he couldn't look after his child that was his. That he had to give him away. He couldn't take looking into those grief filled eyes. The guilt silently ripped his soul to shreds. The child would always remind him of her.

"Take him away. Take him to a good family one with a good name. Those Longbottoms I heard are having trouble with procreating. Give him to them," Binns said hoping that the Healer would comply with his wishes. The begging of a broken man hoping his child lives a greater life than he did.

"What about his name?" the Healer asked, giving in to his wishes after along battle of wills.

Cuthbert looked at his child and smiled for the first time since his wife's death, "Delbert. Mr Delbert Binns. No! He is to be, Mr Delbert Longbottom. A delightful name Delbert is. She chose it for him. I wanted to call him Cuthbert junior but she had other plans. She was always a sly one, always got what she wanted, all of the time."

He cracked a ad smile at the memory of her.

The Healer gave him one last chance to change his mind but it was set. Delbert was to have a happy life surrounded by a complete family.

That was the last time he saw his child as his child and his wife before the funeral. He lost so much that day. He lost the love of his life and his child. It was his fault for both. He was a stupid Ravenclaw the irony of it all.

Years later he taught Delbert. His son was neither a Ravenclaw like himself or a Slytherin like his mother he was Gryffindor. He was a brave little boy that was highly intelligent. Exceeded at his class which many students found dull.

He now only kept to facts. Not one single fictional story were spoken in his classroom. No laughter either, no eager students awaited his class and he could barely remember any of his students' names.

He watched his son. A boy with brown hair and grey eyes that looked nothing like his younger brother or sister. He was smart, cunning and was quite a curious boy. He excelled at most things.

He was protective of his passionate sister. She was a real Longbottom. She held her heart on her sleeve and Cuthbert watched as his son helped her put it back in place. He even cheered on his brother, a Hufflepuff, every Quidditch match. He didn't even care about the evil looks that his fellow Gryffindors gave him. He was a kind child. He was all that a father could hope for.

He remember the day his son left school. Delbert's eyes shining with hope, nervously they shifted around the room until they landed on him, the boring Professor Binns, and smiled a warm smile. He looked at him like he knew his secret. That he was his son. The moment passed swiftly and Delbert went back to his family.

Cuthbert watched as his son's children joined the school. Always keeping an eye out for his relatives in a crowd. Making sure that they were okay. Even though it pained him that they didn't even noticed him at all.

Death came to him easily. He was too afraid of seeing her again. Watching her as she yelled at him for being stupid. He knew that it was still to this day all his fault.

Being a ghost was perfect. You lived forever but it was a lifetime of punishment. He deserved every second of it.

He gave up on her. The second he accepted his role as Professor of History of Magic. She knew it and he knew it.

The school was just too tempting the feeling of moulding children's minds teaching them all he knew. He knew he would keep his job forever but he knew that when she left his life so did apart of himself. He was dull, old dead ghost who taught at a school that held no familiar faces.

He continually looked out for his family members watching them. It was unknown to them that he was family.

It hurt.

He hurt.

He was a ghost. All ghosts had their stories even him. Even the dull Professor Binns.

* * *

><p><em>I've rewritten this-basically adjusting a few errors.<em>

_I hope you like the new and improved Past Lives._

_Love 'n' stuff,_

_Quirks of Wishful Thinking_


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